the area of the confluence of the Arroyo Seco as "a very lush green valley". The Pueblo de Los Angeles was later founded adjacent to this location. The area was granted as Rancho San Rafael to Jose Maria Verdugo in October 1784. In 1859, Julio Verdugo sold the southern tip of the rancho to Jessie D. Hunter, who had first arrived in Los Angeles in 1847 as a Captain in the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican–American War. Hunter had previously acquired the Rancho Cañada de Los Nogales, which contains most of present-day Glassell Park. Hunter had established the first kiln-fired brickyard in Los Angeles, but sold it and took up farming when he acquired the rancho land. After Hunter's death the land was subdivided as the Hunter Tract and, in 1882, Cypress Park became the first of the Arroyo Seco communities to come into existence, predating Highland Park by three years. Transportation Cypress Park is served by two metro stations on the L Line (formerly Gold Line), the Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park Station located at W. Avenue 26/Lacy St. and Heritage Square/Arroyo Station located at French Ave./Marmion Way. It is also served by Metro Local bus lines 81, 90, 94, 182, & 251. The neighborhood's main thoroughfares are Cypress Ave., San Fernando Rd., and North Figueroa St., and is served by the Golden State Freeway (Interstate 5) and Arroyo Seco Parkway (Highway 110), also known as the Pasadena Freeway. In addition, Cypress Park has access to the southern end of the LA River Bike Path at the intersection of Figueroa and Interstate 5. The bike path follows the course of the river up to Burbank. Parks The neighborhood of Cypress Park sits at the river valley created by the confluence of the Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco. As a result, it's surrounded by hills on all sides with Elysian Park to the southwest, Mt Washington to the northeast, and Ernest E. Debs Park at the southeast side. Elysian Park is a city park that includes Dodger Stadium, hiking trails, view points and picnic areas. Ernest Debs Park is a regional park that includes picnic areas, hiking trails and the man-made Peanut Lake at the top of the hill. Mount Washington is a separate neighborhood with residential homes built around its winding hill sides. The Rio de Los Angeles State Park is one of only two California State Recreation Areas